Combination walking stick and wheeled carrier



Nov. 12, 1957 D. E. HoLLowAY 2,812,959

COMBINATION WYALKINGVSTICK AND WHEELED CARRIER Filed Feb. 16, 1956 HOLLOW/IY BY Il l f /f t@ ATToR/VE Ys COMBHNATION WALKING STICK AND WHEELED CARRIER Dennis E. Holloway, Westmount, Quebec, Canada Application February 16, 1956, Serial No. 566,001

9 Claims. (Cl. 280-42) This invention relates to a combination walking stick and baggage carrier, and more particularly to a walking stick which is adapted to be convertible to a wheeled carrier for supporting baggage to be transported.

In accordance with this invention I have provided a walking stick comprising a split tubular member forming two half-sections hinged at one end and provided at the other end with wheel members and a pair of split handle members, the latter extending laterally from the free ends of the half sections of the tubular member to provide baggage supports when the split tubular member is divergently spread apart at the hinge connection.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible wheeled carrier which may be compactly folded up and employed as -a walking stick.

Another object is to provide a walking stick comprising a split tubular member, the sections of which are hinged at one end to be divergently spread apart, the free ends of said sections being provided with wheels and laterally extending baggage supports.

The above and other objects, advantages and characteristic features of this invention will be understood more readily from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective .view of my invention when adapted to serve as a walking stick.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the said invention when adapted to serve as a baggage carrier.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the component elements in a semi-collapsed condition.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 44 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a .fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 and 6 designate two half-sections of a tube forming a walking stick shaft. A ferrule 7 is fitted over one end of the stick shaft and a pair of tubular half-sections 8 and 9 are secured by split cap sections 10 and 11 to the opposite ends of the shaft half-sections 5 and 6 respectively. Tubular half-sections 8 and 9 project laterally therefrom to conjointly form a handle member when the halfsections 5 and 6 are closed to form the stick shaft, as shown in Fig. l. A sleeve 12 may be iitted over the handle-forming half sections 8 and 9 to retain them in their closed condition. The split cap sections 10 and 11 have thickened portions 14 and 15 respectively, the outer surfaces of which are inclined so that a pair of wheels 16 and 17 may be mounted thereon at a predetermined angle. Wheels 16 and 17 rotate about aXis pins 18 and 19 and may be removably mounted for detachment if desired when the device is being utilized as a walking stick.

As will be seen more clearly in Figs. 2 to 6, the halfsections 5 and 6 are pivoted at the ferrule end, as indicated at 20 to permit divergent separation of the shaft United States Patent O half-sections 5 and 6 for conversion of the device to a carrier. This is accomplished by lirst removing the sleeve 12, and then reversing the ends of the stick so that the ferrule covered end is uppermost. The ferrule is of a flexible material which permits spreading of the tube half-sections 5 and 6 without the necessity of removing said ferrule.

A plurality of centrally hinged braces 22 of diierent lengths are spaced along the length of said half-sections 5 and 6 and are pivoted at their opposite ends by pins 23 in blocks 24 fastened to the inner surface of the halfsections 5 and 6. Alternatively brackets 24a may be substituted for blocks 24. Braces 22 serve to secure the half-sections 5 and 6 in a predetermined divergent position so that the Wheels 16 and 17 are disposed with their axes 18 and 19 in a horizontal plane. In this condition the handle forming tubular half-sections 8 and 9 are directed `forwardly to support the under side of a piece of baggage, indicated at 32 when the half-sections 5 and 6 are held in a forwardly and downwardly inclined position. A finger guard 25 is pivoted at one end, as indicated at 26, to one of said half-sections 5 and 6 in the vicinity of the hinged end. Guard 25 is swiugable across the gap between the half-sections 5 and 6 to prevent wedging of an operators finger therebetween if the operator desires to insert a linger to control the action of `the carriage,

One or more of the braces 22 may be provided with hooks 27 pivoted to said braces for the suspension of a shopping bag 33 or other article.

Opposing hooks Z9 may also be mounted inside of the half-sections for the suspension of a sling. In this connection it is contemplated providing a suitable sling or seat for a small child, the sling to be suspended from hooks 29 so that the child may be transported by the carrier.

Hooks 30 are also provided in the half-sections 8 and 9 forming the baggage supports for the attachment of slings which may be passed around the forward portion of the baggage to secure it to the carrier. The slings may, for example, have one end attached to hooks 30 and the other attached to hooks 29. v

It will be seen that the component elements such as the braces 22, guard 25 and hooks 27, 29 and 30 are all arranged so that they are completely concealed within provide a walking stick.

As previously stated this device may be readily converted from a walking stick to a wheeled carrier. And this is accomplished without the need of dismantling or replacing of any of the component parts. to this is only when the sleeve 12 is used. Other parts, however, need not be removed. In its condition as a wheeled carrier it is readily adaptable for transporting suitcases, travelling bags, valises, etc. along station platforms, thus eliminating the need of a porter. This is particularly beneficial in places where porters are scarce and in some instances are not available. ln the majority ofcases, the type of luggage to be transported by travellers can be mounted on the carrier without other aids or attachments, such as securing straps and the like, so that a traveller can convert the stick to a carrier in two movements, namely, reversing the stick and spreading the half-sections to their full divergent positions. The carrier is ready to receive the luggage for immediate transportation to any destination. It will also be apparent that the carrier can also be used for many purposes around the home as well as on shopping tours.

What I claim is:

1. A combination walking stick and wheeled carrier, comprising a pair of shaft forming members pivoted at one end to swing about a common axis to selectively per- The exception positions from their pivotal connection, a handle formingE section-extending laterally from the free endyof each'of saidv shaft-forming^members at one'side thereof 'to be positioned in side-by-side relation when said shaft'formf ingf'members are in abutting relation, a wheel rotatably mounted adjacent the juncture of' each shaft forming member and handle forming section, and expansible means connected to each of said shaft forming members at a point-along the length of leach member remote from their-pivotal connection to secure said shaft formingAv members at a predetermined divergent position.

2: A` combination walking stickandwheeled` carrier, comprising two longitudinal half-sections of a tube, means hingedly connectingsaid tube half-sections at one end thereof -for rotation about a common aXisto selectively permit said tube half-sections to be swung to a position with their complementary longitudinal edges in abutting engagement throughout their length to conjoin'tlyform a shaft portionv of a walking stick and to be swung to divergentV positions from their hinged connection, a pair of tubular handle-forminghalf-sections, each extending laterally from one sideof said shaft-formingvhalf-sections with their complementary longitudinal edges engageable in opposed relation to conjointly form a tubular handle when said shaft-forming half-sections are in abutting engagement, a wheel rotatablymounted adjacent the juncture of each shaft-forming half-section and handle-forming half-section, and, expansible means connected to each of said shaft-forming half-sections remotely from said hinged connection to secure said shaftforming half-sections at a predetermined divergentV position.

3.' A combination walking stick and wheeled carrier as set forth in claim 2, including a ferrule fitted over the hinged end of said shaft-forming sections said ferrule having expansible side walls.

4. A combination walking' stick and wheeled carrier asset forth in claim 2, including a sleeve member removablyy slidable over said handle-forming Y sections when thev latterl are in abuttingengagement.

5. A combination walking. stick and ,wheeledcarriel as set forth in claim 2, in which each of said Wheels is;4

vergent positions, the axes of said wheels arey substantially.'

aligned.

6.,A combination walking stick and wheeled carrier,

as set forth in claim 2, in whichl saidexpansiblemeanscomprises at least one pair of brace-members pivotally 4connected to each other, one of said brace members being pivotally connectedat one end to a point along the length of one shaft-forming section remote from its hinged connection and the other brace member being pivotally connected at one end to an 'equidistant point along the length of the other shaft-forming section remote from its hinged connection.

7. A combination walking stick and wheeled carrier as set forth. inuclaim-.Zf in,-which .said expansible means comprises a plurality-of pairs vof brace members spaced alongthe length,offsaidshaft-forming sections, each pair of brace members being pivotally connected -to each other and havingtthetfree. end-of one.y of y said pair pivotally connected to Oneshaftfforming section and the free end of the other of said pair'pivotally connected to the remaining shaft-forming section at a point opposite to the pivotal connection of said first brace to said first mentioned shaft-forming section.

81`A-combination asset forth in claim 7 including a guard member rpivotally mounted in. one of said shaftforming sections adjacent Vits hinged` end said guard member being swingable' across the spacebetween` said two shaft-formingections when they are opened to a predetermined divergent position.

9. Awh'eeled carriercomprising two longitudinal halfsections of la tubefmeans hingedly connecting said tube halffsections at oneend thereof forA rotation about a cornmon axis torselectively permit said tube half-sections to be swung tojaposition with their complementary longitudinalV edgesin` abuttingengagement and to be swung to predetermined divergent positions from their hinged connection, a pair of support forming half-sections, each extendingV laterally yfrom'one sideV of said tube half-sections withtheiropposingA longitudinal edges engageable when saidgtube half-sections are swung to closed position, a wheelu rotatablymounted adjacent ythe juncture of each tube half-section and support-forming half-section, and expansible means `connectedto each-of said tube halfsections `tosecurefthe latter in their predetermined divergentpositions.'

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED :STATES PATENTS 

